A wedding story: My Haruka and Michiru fanfic
by princedarienofthewhitemoon
Summary: Haruka and Michiru getting married...a softly yuri fic


Hello readers. this is the author of this fic. As some of you may already know, this fic was posted over a year ago. However, I've reedited it, and changed the format. I hope any old readers still enjoy it, and any new readers. well, I just hope you don't hate it too much. It was one of the first things I wrote, after all.  
  
Included below is the origional authors note. Man. what was I on when I wrote that?  
  
Firstly, a disclaimer. I don't own sailor moon, nor any of the characters  
  
involved with it. In fact, this fanfic completely rips off Naoko Takuchi's work.  
  
And I'm very sorry. Well...not very sorry...but if I ever speak to the great  
  
one, Ill apologize. A few other things.  
  
1- This fic does talk about a relationship between two adult women. If that  
  
makes you uncomfortable...Boy, are you reading the wrong fic.  
  
2- While this is my creative work, I know that I'll never be able to stop  
  
people from doing pretty much whatever they want with it. But if you do use it  
  
for something...please email me and at least give me a "thank you"...it's just  
  
common courtesy.  
  
3- I know that same sex marriages are illegal in Japan...but my story says  
  
that they are legal. I know that this makes no sense...but welcome to the  
  
wonderful world of Fan fiction.  
  
4- I don't use the suffixes chan, kun, san, and sama...I know how to use  
  
them, but I don't really want to...before you tell me that I did something  
  
wrong, let me tell you that I know this...but don't really give a rats ass.  
  
5- I use mild language and almost no sexual content in this fic...if you want  
  
something with cuss words every line, listen to ICP's song "F**K the world", and  
  
if you want something with sex, read the hentai fic "Pretty fly for a  
  
hentai"...it rules.  
  
6- Feedback is nice. If you like my fic, or even hate it, drop me a line and  
  
tell me so. I'll put my email address on the bottom. I warn you though...if you  
  
write me something offensive, I won't respond, Santa won't bring you any presents  
  
this year, and your mommy will be mad at you.  
  
7- Huh...seven...you know, when I was planning out this disclaimer, I had  
  
like nine things I was going to say...but after a seventeen-hour marathon of  
  
watching the entire S season in uncut, subbed format, I think my brain is still  
  
recovering.  
  
8- Ok...I do have an eighth thing. DiC sucks! Damn the Dub! Long live freedom  
  
of speech! Damn the man, save the empire! (yes, that was a quote from Empire  
  
Records, one of the greatest movies ever made)  
  
"A wedding story."  
  
by Michael Treiber  
  
  
  
"Haruka...do you love me?"  
  
Confused, Haruka looked over at her lover. They were both lying in the large bed they shared, reading, and the question caught her completely off guard.  
  
"Of course I do Michi! Why would you ask a question like that!?"  
  
Haruka smiled a bit "Did I fall a few short of telling you that I love you a hundred times today?"  
  
Michiru rolled over onto her side and, propping her chin up on her hands, looked straight into the blond woman's eyes.  
  
"How long have we been together?"  
  
Haruka thought carefully for a moment before answering "We've been friends and partners for over four years now. And this Saturday will be the three year anniversary of when we finally admitted our love."  
  
Smiling, the aqua haired beauty reached over to her nightstand, picking up a small box.  
  
"Then it's about time for this..."  
  
Opening the box revealed a sparkling diamond ring.  
  
"Tenoh Haruka...will you marry me?"  
  
When Haruka didn't answer immediately, Michiru simply assumed that she was to choked with emotion to speak. Then she realized that Haruka was struggling not to laugh.  
  
Angry, she spit out "What is so damn funny!?"  
  
Still holding back laughter, Haruka opened the top drawer of her nightstand and withdrew a small box.  
  
"I was going to ask you this Saturday. I even had the restaurant reservations and everything...But you beat me to it."  
  
Beaming, the senshi of the seas threw her arms around the amused soldier of wind. Hugging her tightly, she whispered into Haruka's ear "I suppose this means yes then?"  
  
Haruka pulled back slightly and looked directly into her loves eyes.  
  
Raising a hand to stroke her check gently, Haruka whispered softly "Michiru, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Of course the answer is yes!...but there's one problem..."  
  
Looking at each other, they answered at the same time  
  
"Our parents."  
  
Haruka sighed. "They do have a right to know..."  
  
Michiru nodded "And I would like to have my mother at my wedding..."  
  
"And it would be nice to finally meet your parents..." They both said at the same time.  
  
"All right, tomorrow we tell the other senshi, and then our parents."  
  
Haruka said. "You know that they are going to want to help with the wedding..."  
  
Michiru nodded her head "For the most part, that's fine...Setsuna will make our dresses (Haruka looked ready to protest the use of plurals when Michiru mentioned the dreaded "D" word, but a single look at her face quelled any arguments), Hotaru can be our ring bearer, Mokoto can take car of catering, Ami can be trusted to plan out anything, and Rei probably has a lot of experience with weddings. But..."  
  
"But Usagi and Minako will want to help too...and those girls are walking natural disasters." Haruka finished for her.  
  
"Do you think that they would be dumb enough to believe that we need two nearly adult flower girls?"  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"You mean it? We actually get to be your flower girls?!" Usagi exclaimed.  
  
Minako's eyes filled with tears "I'm so happy!"  
  
Rei and Makoto looked at each other and sighed.  
  
"I can't believe how stupid they are..." Rei muttered under her breath.  
  
"Quiet!" Makoto hissed. "You know that this is just so that the rest of us can take care of the wedding with out those two ruining it!"  
  
Ami glanced over at the two whispering and decided that perhaps it was better not to say anything. Looking back at the two betrothed, she couldn't help but smile. They looked so happy. But she could tell that something was bothering them.  
  
"Congratulations, both of you. You must be very happy."  
  
"Yes, we are"Michiru began "except..."  
  
Rei felt a moment of concern.  
  
"Except what?"  
  
"Except now we have to go tell our parents." Haruka explained.  
  
"We're...not looking forward to that."  
  
"My mother would be freaked out if I told her I had a boyfriend" Michiru said, "I cant even say how she'll react to my having a female lover, let alone one whom I'm planning on marrying."  
  
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Minako asked.  
  
Sighing deeply, Haruka answered, "No, no really. We always knew that this day would come...but it doesn't make it any easier."  
  
Michiru gently laid her hand on top of Haruka's.  
  
"We'll get through this...we've been through tougher things before."  
  
"Whose parents are you going to freak out first?" Usagi asked with her usual lack of tack.  
  
"Usagi!" Rei shouted.  
  
But the two outers just shook their heads and chuckled.  
  
"It's ok." Michiru said with a smile.  
  
"We're going to freak Michiru's mother out first." Haruka told Usagi, "I figured that my parents might be more accepting, since I've always been kind of a tomboy. They've probably been expecting this for years now. Hopefully Michiru's mother wont be to freaked out though."  
  
"Well, good luck" Ami said "We'll start working on the details of the wedding while you are gone."  
  
"And remember," Usagi said, unusually serious, "We are always here for you both."  
  
"Thank you, odango." Haruka whispered, as she and Michiru stood to walk away.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Smiling up at Haruka as they walked arm-in-arm toward their car, Michiru said  
  
"Well, that went well! So far so good, eh Ruka?"  
  
While her voice sounded outwardly cheerful, Haruka could tell that Michiru was as nervous as she had ever been in the time they had known each other. Even the evening before the battle with Galaxia hadn't made her this nervous.  
  
Stopping, Haruka turned to face her fiancé.  
  
"Michi...are you ok?"  
  
"No, I'm not. I'm scared out of my mind. I'm so terrified of what my mother will say...what she'll do...I've always been the perfect little girl. I have no idea what she'll be like when they find something out about me that is less than perfect...socially, artistically, or politically. And I don't want to  
  
do anything to hurt her career..."  
  
Haruka was thoughtful for a moment.  
  
"You know, Michiru, I know almost nothing about your family. All I know that your mother is involved with politics somehow."  
  
Sighing, Michiru told her "She's a publicist for several prominent politicians. Part of her appeal has always been her 'perfect' family. My father was a nice, non-controversial author before he died when I was eight, and I've always been the golden child. Someone she could wave around whenever someone  
  
wanted to know if she was qualified to take care of a politician's career. After all, if she can raise a daughter like me, what can't she do?"  
  
This last was said with a note of bitterness.  
  
Speaking softly, Haruka said "It doesn't sound like she was a very loving mother."  
  
Michiru shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, she was a good mother...she just thought that she could take better care of me if she had a perfect career. So that was her main goal in life."  
  
By this time the two had reached the car. Before getting in, the two shared a brief, tight hug.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Haruka whistled in appreciation at the sight of the Kaioh family home. I was a huge, western style house overlooking the sea.  
  
"Now I know why you like the water so much Michi." Haruka said, gesturing to the beautiful seascape. "If I grew up looking at this every day, I'd be in love with the ocean too."  
  
But Michiru was to distracted to discus her upraising. She was so nervous that her muscles felt like jelly, her mouth was so dry that she wasn't sure that she could speak, and her guts were tying themselves in knots.  
  
"Enough stalling." Michiru whispered to herself, "You want to marry Haruka, and you want your family there...you only have one choice here."  
  
She might have faltered, but then she felt Haruka's hand gently touch her shoulder. And she knew that she could get through anything...as long as she was with Haruka.  
  
Michiru gave herself and her lover one last looking over before stepping up to the door. She was wearing a pale aqua green dress, which Haruka told her brought out the color of her hair. As for Haruka, she was wearing a pair of white slacks, and a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, which buttoned up the front.  
  
Michiru thought that she looked especially beautiful today.  
  
Assured that they were presentable, the pair walked up the short walkway to the front door. Michiru rang the bell, and they waited.  
  
They didn't have to wait long. Within a few moments, a young woman in a maids uniform answered the door.  
  
"Michiru!" the maid exclaimed, "You've finally decided to come visit! It's been so long."  
  
Michiru smiled a bit.  
  
"Yes Milly, it has been a long time, hasn't it?"  
  
"Almost three years now." The maid confirmed. "Your mother will be glad to see you again." Finally, she noticed Haruka. "And you've brought a friend! How nice."  
  
Looking at Haruka, she said "A boy friend perhaps?" Winking at Michiru, she continued in a lower voice, " You sure do know how to pick the cute ones! I'm almost jealous."  
  
Blushing a bit from nerves, Michiru told the maid, " Uhh...Milly? Haruka is a girl."  
  
Milly's face instantly turned a flaming red, and she couldn't meet Haruka's eyes.  
  
"I'm...so sorry! Its just that you..."  
  
"Look like a rather pretty young man." Haruka finished for her. "Don't be embarrassed, it happens all the time."  
  
Relived that Haruka wasn't angry at her, Milly invited the two in.  
  
"I'll go tell your mother that you and your guest are here. Would you like something to drink while you wait for her?"  
  
"No, thank you." Michiru answered. "We'll be fine."  
  
"Very well, I'll be go get your mother then."  
  
Haruka watched silently as the maid walked away. Turning to Michiru she said,  
  
"Well...that was interesting. Have you known her long?"  
  
"She's worked for my family since I was very young." Michiru answered  
  
"She's always been more of a friend than a servant to me."  
  
Michiru fell silent as she heard footfalls approaching. She immediately felt her previous nervousness flare up.  
  
"Michiru!" a voice rang out. "You've finally decided to come back for a visit. It's been too long."  
  
"I'm very sorry about that mother...but I've been rather busy these last couple of years."  
  
'That's an understatement' thought Haruka 'The death busters...the sailor animates...Galaxia...all of that on top of her regular schedule of concerts and art shows.'  
  
"Well, I'm back now...and I've brought someone I want you to meet. This is Tenoh Haruka. Haruka, this is my mother, Kaioh Kagero"  
  
Michiru's mother looked quite surprised.  
  
"Tenoh Haruka? The star racer? Well, this is quite an honor! I must say my dear...I'd always thought that you were a male."  
  
Haruka smiled at this last comment.  
  
"Most people do." She answered "Including most of the other drivers. They would be rather upset to find out that a mere girl had beaten them at nearly every race for years now."  
  
The elder Kaioh looked quite amused by this.  
  
"Yes, I'm rather sure that they would at that."  
  
Michiru sighed deeply.  
  
"Mother, there is something I need to discuss with you."  
  
"Oh? What's that, dear one?"  
  
Michiru looked at Haruka before answering.  
  
"Perhaps we should talk alone."  
  
Haruka looked down at Michiru in surprise.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes Haruka...I have to do this alone."  
  
"All right...but just remember, I'll be right here if you need me."  
  
Kagero looked quite confused at this by-play, but led Michiru into another room.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"So, what did you need to talk to me about?" Michiru's mother asked.  
  
"First of all Mother, I want you to know that I would never do anything to hurt you or your career."  
  
"Of course I know that!" her mother said, "You've always been a perfect daughter."  
  
Michiru sighed deeply. This was going to be harder than she had thought.  
  
"You see mother...Its about..." She stuttered "Umm...Haruka and I...that is we...we're...Well...you know how you always want me to bring boys home for you to meet, and I never have? Well...um...What do you think of Haruka?  
  
Suddenly Michiru's mother looked slightly faint.  
  
"Michiru..." She asked "Exactly what kind of relationship do you and that young woman have?"  
  
Michiru sighed once more.  
  
"I...that is, we came to ask you to come to our...wedding."  
  
At this the older Kaioh sat suddenly and cradled her head between her hands.  
  
"Mo..Mother? Are you all right?" A concerned daughter asked.  
  
Kagero looked up at her. Looking straight into her daughter's eyes, she asked "Am I all right? Am I all right! How do you expect me to be? My only daughter just told me that she's a lesbian for god's sake!"  
  
Michiru felt as if someone had clenched her heart in their fist.  
  
"Mother...Haruka and I love each other. Is that so bad?"  
  
"I...I just need to think. Give me a moment."  
  
The distraught young woman walked slowly out of her mother's office, head hung in sorrow.  
  
When she walked out, Haruka didn't say a word...she just wrapped her arms Michiru, holding her tightly against her chest. They stayed like that for nearly ten minutes, Haruka doing the only thing  
  
she knew how to comfort Michiru.  
  
Just when it seemed that Michiru's mother would have nothing to do with her ever again, her voice called out  
  
"Michiru?"  
  
"Yes mother?" Michiru responded, her heart lifting.  
  
"Would you please...send Haruka in?"  
  
Haruka looked slightly pole-axed. Michiru's mother...wanted to speak to her? Alone? There was no way that this could be good...  
  
"So...you and my daughter...have a...relationship?" Michiru's mother haltingly asked.  
  
"Yes" Haruka replied, her voice ringing with sincerity, "I love your daughter more than I have ever loved anyone. She is my sole reason for living."  
  
Michiru's mother looked thoughtful.  
  
"And what" She asked, "Do your parents think of this?"  
  
"Actually..." Haruka replied, blushing furiously," I...ah... mumble...mumble..."Kagero noted the trailing off with a glimmer of a smile. Deciding to test exactly what kind of person her daughter thought was worthy of her hand, she asked "What was that last part, dear?"  
  
"I...um...haven't told them yet..."  
  
"What was that dear?" She asked.  
  
"I...haven't told them yet. We, Michiru and I that is, decided to tell you first."  
  
Mrs. Kaioh looked thoughtful for a moment. "Tell me about them...Your family. Please."  
  
Haruka looked confused. "My family? What do you want to know?"  
  
"Just...tell me about them. What do your parents do? Do you have any siblings?"  
  
"Well..." Haruka began, "My parents own a bakery, in Kyoto. And I have one younger sister. She's goingto be entering a very prominent high school later this year. And my parents bakery is going to be expanding this fall..."  
  
Michiru's mother looked considering.  
  
Nearly half an hour later, when her mother and Haruka walked out together, Michiru felt as though a weight had been lifted from her heart.  
  
"Michiru...I'm very proud of you. You've found a fine young woman here."  
  
"Thank you mother." Michiru said, her throat choked with emotion. "That...means a lot to me."  
  
"And now" Haruka whispered "I have to tell my parents."  
  
"Don't worry Haruka" Michiru's mother said, "Any parent worth the name couldn't help but be supportiveof anything that makes their daughter as happy as you two obviously make each  
  
other."  
  
"That's right!" Michiru said, trying to be as convincing as she could, "I expected my mother to freak out when I tol..."Michiru trailed off when she saw the expression on her mothers  
  
face.  
  
In a stricken voice, her mother asked "Michiru, how could you think that I'd 'freak out'? I admit, I was a bit shocked at first...but still...I am your mother. I would support you in anything  
  
that would make you happy!"  
  
"I know that now mother, but...I just thought that with your career...I was so nervous..."  
  
"Oh love...I'd never put my career before my daughter..."  
  
Kagero simply wrapped her arms around her daughter. Haruka stood back, feeling slightly out of place, until the two Kaioh's reached out as one and gently drew her into the circle.  
  
And then everything was right in the Kaioh house.  
  
"Well...that went well." A hear-lifted Michiru said.  
  
The two were driving toward Haruka's family's house, discussing the previous meeting with Michiru's parents.  
  
"I just hope that my parents are as glad to meet you as your mother was to meet me..." Haruka responded.  
  
"Well..." Michiru said with a grin, "There's only one way to find out, ne?"  
  
Haruka just sighed and continued driving.  
  
They continued in silence, until Michiru turned to Haruka and asked, "What are they like?"  
  
She was somewhat upset when Haruka suddenly started chuckling.  
  
"What do you think is so funny this time?" Michiru asked, irritation giving her voice a slight edge.  
  
Still chuckling a bit, Haruka answered, "You and your mother. You two are so alike, it's almost scary!"  
  
"And what" Michiru said in a cool voice, "Is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"She asked the exact same question. And I told her that I have one younger sister...her name is Ranna AN:-I have no idea where this name came from...who knows where ideas come from?-. My mothers name is Yakura, and my fathers name is Hanzo. He used to run a dojo, but after he got hurt in a tournament, he and my mother opened a bakery. My sister helps run it, but in the fall she's leaving to attend a very prominent high school."  
  
"Oh...so it was your father who got you interested in martial arts?"  
  
"Yes. And it was my mother who got me un-interested in the more feminine arts."  
  
Michiru smirked a bit. 'This sounds good...' she thought to herself.  
  
"Please, do tell!"  
  
Haruka took a deep breath. She knew that when Michiru used that tone of voice, and that smile...she wouldn't let this go.  
  
"She used to dress me up in pretty dresses, and braids, and ribbons, and make up!" The last was uttered in a tone of complete disgust.  
  
"Haruka" Michiru responded, her voice ringing with barely suppressed mirth, "Girls are supposed to want to wear pretty dresses, and braids, and ribbons, and make-up. I know that I sure did."  
  
"Did you ever" Haruka asked in a quiet voice, " Have to go to Karate practice with pink ribbons in your hair?"  
  
At this, Michiru couldn't contain it any longer...she started to laugh so hard at the image of an SD little Haruka running through a dojo with long pink ribbons in her hair that her sides started to ach.  
  
Haruka knew better to say anything else, so just kept driving.  
  
It was a long drive, and neither of them spoke much. They both had too much to think about. Suddenly Haruka gave a start. Speaking out loud she exclaimed, "Haruka, you idiot! How could you forget!?!"  
  
"Forget what dear?" Michiru asked in a slightly concerned voice.  
  
"Today!" Haruka replied.  
  
"And...?"  
  
"Its Ranna's birthday! I forgot! We'll have to stop and get her a present. Um...actually..." She looked at Michiru, "Maybe YOU should pick something."  
  
"Are you sure?" Michiru asked" I don't even know your sister."  
  
"Well, you would know what a girl would want for her birthday better than I would."  
  
Michiru grinned a bit, "Oh, I don't know...you've always gotten this girl what she wanted..."  
  
Haruka blushed a bright crimson. "Michiru! I can't give my sister THAT!"  
  
The aqua haired woman took pity on her partner. "Don't worry...we'll find something nice for her. "  
  
Suddenly spying an upscale jewelry store as they entered the downtown area of Kyoto, she turned to Haruka and said, "I hope you brought the credit cards love, because I plan on making a good impression."  
  
Haruka was bored nearly to tears. They had been in the jewelry store for nearly an hour, as Michiru alternated between trying on pieces herself, looking for a birthday present, and trying to get Haruka to try on whatever she thought would look good on her partner. It was nearly enough to make Haruka want to  
  
scream.  
  
She was praying for anything that would end her torment...Daimon attack, Galaxia's rebirth, an earth quake, anything....when Michiru finally settled on a silver necklace dripping with sapphires, and a pair of earrings to match for Ranna. Haruka cringed at the price, but was willing to pay anything to get out  
  
of the store.  
  
Looking up at the house she had grown up in, Haruka felt a moment's nervous twitch before she clamped her anxiety down. 'They've been expecting this for years.' She thought to herself, 'Besides...they'll love Michiru.'  
  
Walking behind her lover as she made her way to the door of her family's home, Michiru took a moment to look at the house itself. While not as large or ornate as her own home, it had a lot of charm, and the look o f a building where a lot of love lived.  
  
It was a western style home, like hers, but where the Kaioh residence was a three story mansion, this was a two story, family home.  
  
Michiru felt as if it radiated an aura of welcome.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Haruka knocked on the door. A voice from inside immediately answered that she would be right there.  
  
The door opened to reveal a young girl, about fourteen years old. She looked almost nothing like Haruka with her long, braided red-gold hair, and dress with its plaited skirt. That is, until Michiru noticed her eyes. They were the same shade as her beloveds.  
  
"Haruka!" The girl shouted, "You came!"  
  
"Of course I did Ranna." Haruka replied, "How could I forget my favorite sisters birthday?"  
  
Michiru bit back a reply.  
  
"I'm your only sister dummy! And who is that?" Ranna asked, finally noticing Michiru.  
  
"Ranna...this is Michiru. Michiru, this is Ranna...my younger sister."  
  
"Oh...nice to meet you Michiru." Ranna said, "Are you one of my sisters friends?"  
  
"Well..." Michiru began. But she was cut off.  
  
"Ranna! Where are your manners? Do we interrogate guests before inviting them in now?" an older female voice called out from inside the home. Stepping up to the front door was a stately middle-aged woman. Her blonde hair was in a single braid down to her waist, and Michiru noticed that, like Ranna, she had the eye color that seemed to be a trademark of Tenoh women.  
  
"Haruka!" her mother said, stepping forward to embrace her daughter. "It's been so long since you've visited! I was beginning to think that you had disappeared right off the face of the planet."  
  
"Not quite." Haruka said with a smile. " I actually came back for a reason. I came here for Ranna's birthday, of course (this was said with a smile for her sister)...and because there is someone I want you to meet. Mother, this is Kaioh Michiru. Michiru, this is my mother, Tenoh Yakura."  
  
Michiru bowed a bit and said, "Its an honor to finally meet you."  
  
"Its always nice to meet Haruka's friends. She seems to have so few of them...Now, why don't we go inside and have some tea?"  
  
The inside of the Tenoh residence was as comfortable as the outside.  
  
Everywhere Michiru looked warm wood paneling and soft drapes framing large windows gave the house a very light, warm feel. Stepping into the living room was like stepping into something from a painting about family love.  
  
"So Haruka," Yakura asked, "How long have you two known each other?"  
  
"Well...we meet over three years ago, just before our first year of high school. We've been living together since slightly after that."  
  
Haruka's mother looked up at this. "Oh?" she asked, "You two are room- mates?"  
  
Haruka looked over at her sister before responding, "Yeah...something like that."  
  
Yakura looked confused for a moment, but shrugged it off. "So, Michiru...what do you do?"  
  
"I'm a violinist" Michiru replied.  
  
"Oh? That's nice. Haruka, have you been keeping up your piano practice?  
  
Haruka nodded. "Yes...Michiru and I play duets sometimes."  
  
Ranna looked at Haruka for a moment. "Are you any good?"  
  
"Oh yes" Michiru said with a bit of a laugh, " Your sister has very skilled hands."  
  
It was all Haruka could do not to choke on her tea. Her mother, however, seemed completely oblivious.  
  
"Yes, my little Haruka was always something of a prodigy!"  
  
Ranna shook her head and sighed. Her mother could be so dense sometimes that she wanted to strangle her. She was only one third her mothers age, and even she could tell that Haruka and the aqua haired girl were more than just room-mates.  
  
Haruka glanced at her mother with a questioning look. "By the way," she asked "Where is father?"  
  
"Oh, he went to the bakery to pick up Ranna's cake." She replied, "He should be back soon."  
  
It wasn't long before Haruka's father showed up, cake in hand. Not paying attention too much else besides the large cake he was carrying, he set it down in the kitchen with care before noticing that there were other people in the house than Yakura and Ranna. When he noticed Haruka, his face seem to light up.  
  
"Haruka!" he said with a shout. Stepping quickly over to her, he wrapped her in a fierce hug. As he was walking, Michiru noticed that he had a slight limp, and was reminded that Haruka had said that he was a martial artist before being injured in a tournament.  
  
"Its good to see you too, Papa." Haruka said in a quiet voice. "I've been meaning to come for a visit..."  
  
"But you're young and have a busy life. I understand...I used to be young once, you know." Haruka's father said with a kind smile. Turning to Michiru he asked, "And who might this lovely young woman be?"  
  
"Father, this is Kaioh Michiru. Michiru, this is my papa, Tenoh Hanzo."  
  
"Haruka, actually bringing a friend home to meet her family? No, this cannot be! Surly the ocean will start boiling at any minute, for Armageddon is at hand!" He said in a mock-horrified voice.  
  
"Michiru is....a very... special friend. I thought that it would be good if you and mother meet her."  
  
Michiru again bowed slightly and said, "It is an honor to meet you, sir."  
  
Hanzo looked from Michiru to Haruka and back again. 'A very special friend, eh Haruka?'  
  
"My dear," he said in a soft voice, " Please call me Papa Tenoh...after all, if my guess is right, that would only be proper." As he said this last part he looked at Haruka and grinned a bit.  
  
Haruka blushed and nodded slightly.  
  
Hanzo felt elation surge in his belly. 'About time Haruka!' he thought to himself.  
  
Michiru was glad that the meeting was going so smoothly. Raising her hand to shake his, she said " All right...Papa Tenoh."  
  
Hanzo looked at the proffered hand for a minute, then smiled and wrapped Michiru in a unexpected, but not unwelcome, hug. Speaking quietly into her ear, he said, "If you ever get tired of my daughter, just tell me. I will be more than happy to steal you away from her!" Releasing her, he gave her a slow wink.  
  
Chuckling softly, she said, "Don't worry, Ill keep the offer in mind."  
  
Haruka was confused, but decided to let it drop. Probably just another one of her father's lines. He could be as bad as Grandpa Hino sometimes.  
  
Yakura looked even more confused by this little by play, but before she could say anything, the doorbell rang. Ranna ran to answer it. Opening it revealed one of her friends, and a strange girl.  
  
"Sakura!" Ranna shouted, "You made it! But who is this?"  
  
Sakura seemed a little embarrassed. "This is my cousin Neruko. She is visiting from out of the country and...I couldn't just leave her."  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
As Ranna took her friend to her room, Yakura said, "Well, the cake is here, the guests are here...lets get started!"  
  
Forty-five minutes later, after cake had been eaten (to much cake eaten by Haruka, for which Michiru scolded her), Ranna started opening presents. From her mother she got a new dress. Her father gave her cash, ("What? Shopping is hard!), and her friend gave her a boxed Magic Knight Rayearth OAV set. Finally, it was Haruka's turn.  
  
Opening the box, the entire family gasped. Lifting the necklace up to place against her throat, Ranna breathlessly said, "Haruka! Its beautiful!" Then she thought for a moment, and turned to Michiru. "I should be thanking you, shouldn't I?  
  
Michiru smiled. "The gift is from both of us."  
  
"Both of you might have paid for it, but I know Haruka's usual gifts. This was picked out by you."  
  
"Guilty as charged" Haruka butted in. "Michiru has much better taste than I do."  
  
Suddenly Neruko piped in "Oh, no, I'm sure you have wonderful tastes Haruka!"  
  
Haruka couldn't resist it. She felt her smoothness and charm begin welling up.  
  
"Say, Neruko...have you ever ridden in a Ferrari?"  
  
Neruko sighed and said "No...but I've always wanted to..."  
  
Michiru sighed. Playing was playing, but she wasn't in the mood for Haruka's antics today.  
  
Clearing her throat softly, Michiru gave Haruka a pointed look.  
  
Sighing greatly, Haruka looked at Neruko "Sorry...maybe some other time...my girlfriend gets a bit jealous."  
  
"And you don't?" Michiru responded, " I seem to remember a certain incident with Seiya..."  
  
It was then that Haruka and Michiru noticed that Haruka's mother had gone a pasty white.  
  
"You...You...two...you're..."  
  
Taking a breath, Haruka looked her mother right in the eye. " Yes mother, Michiru and I are lovers. In fact, we came here to invite you to our wedding."  
  
Haruka's father looked up with a joyful expression on his face.  
  
"Haruka, that's great! I just expected you to tell me that you had a girl friend...but a fiancé instead!" He looked like he had just won the lottery...better even. "My little girl is getting married!"  
  
Nekero and Yakura responded at the same time.  
  
"Our daughter is a lesbian! How can you be so happy!?!"  
  
"Haruka is a girl!"  
  
Hanzo just sighed and looked at his wife. "What do you mean, 'how can I be so happy'? How could I not be?"  
  
"But..." She looked as if she were going to be sick or faint. "She's...with....another...girl!"  
  
"Mother..." Haruka said in a quiet voice, "I'm happy! I've never been this happy! Why should that be a problem?"  
  
"Its not NATURAL! Women do not fall in love with other women! I want you to stop seeing that...that...creature!" Spitting this last part out she pointed at Michiru.  
  
"You may not like my choice in life partners mother" Haruka said in a cold voice "But you will mind your manners. Now...obviously we need to discuss it. Shall we go into another room.?"  
  
Michiru felt a bit nervous as she watched Haruka and her mother walk out of the room. It was about this time that Sakura and her cousin left. Suddenly, Michiru was all alone with Haruka's father and sister.  
  
"So, Michiru" Ranna piped up, "Can I ask you something...kind of personal?"  
  
"Of course. What do you want to know?"  
  
"How did you and my sister meet?"  
  
Michiru felt a moment of relief. For a second, she was worried that Ranna might have been curious about...never mind.  
  
"Well...it all started when a mutual friend by the name of Elza Grey introduced us..."  
  
She told them of how they had met, of how at first Haruka had run from her, avoiding her like a plague. How they had eventually become friends...and then, over time, more. She left out only the parts of the story having to do with them being senshi.  
  
Ranna sighed a bit. "That sounds so romantic...But I have one more question."  
  
Michiru smiled at her. "What is it, dear one?"  
  
"Why my sister? I mean, she cant be that great a catch. She's not all that pretty, she can be completely cold, and...well...she is a girl."  
  
Shaking her head a little, Michiru tried her best to answer Ranna's question. "Haruka is a far better catch than she lets on to be. She is a very beautiful woman, she's never cold to me...and it just doesn't matter that she's a girl. When you love someone as much as I love your sister, little details like  
  
that don't seem to matter."  
  
Ranna didn't look all that convinced. "That doesn't seem like such a little detail to me."  
  
Hanzo finally spoke up. In a soft voice he said, "That's because you've never been in love. Believe me, that is a small detail compared to some of the other things you have to go through to make a relationship work."  
  
"Like what?" Haruka's sister asked.  
  
"Like telling your parents." Michiru replied in Hanzo's place. "Especially if there are any of those little details involved."  
  
"But usually you don't have to worry...any good parent will accept anything that makes their child happy." Hanzo said, giving Michiru a serious look.  
  
"But Daddy..." Ranna asked, "Momma seemed REALLY upset at Haruka for telling her that she was with a girl...does that mean she's a bad parent?"  
  
"Well...your mother was just...surprised. I'm sure that once she has some time to think it over, she'll come to accept Haruka's decision."  
  
Just as Hanzo said that, Haruka walked out, her back stiff, and her face set in an expression that Michiru knew meant that she was holding back a LOT of anger.  
  
"Michiru," Haruka said in a tight voice, "It's time to go. Good-bye Ranna, father."  
  
Turning her back on the group, she began walking to the door.  
  
"Haruka!" Yakura's voice angrily "Where the HELL do you think that you're going? Our discussion was not done!"  
  
Haruka stopped and snapped out a reply without even looking back. "Oh, I think it was."  
  
"No, it wasn't! You are NOT going anywhere until I say you are!"  
  
Slowly, Haruka turned to face her mother, her eyes icy, her face set in a stony mask of suppressed rage. Before she could do more than take a single step toward her mother, however, her father stepped between the two.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked in a confused voice.  
  
"I simply," Yakura explained in a completely rational voice, "Told our daughter that I was still her mother, and she would obey my wishes. She overreacted."  
  
"She told me" Haruka said between clenched teeth, "That I was to no longer see Michiru, and that if I was a good daughter that I would understand, and obey her wishes. I told her in return that if it was a choice between her and Michiru, that I chose Michiru. Then she told me that if I couldn't behave as a  
  
proper daughter...then perhaps I should no longer consider myself her daughter at all."  
  
"So now, I'm leaving. Father, if you want to come to the wedding it will be in three weeks at the cherry hill temple." She looked back at Michiru.  
  
"Coming, love?"  
  
Taking a slow, deep breath Michiru gave her good-byes to Ranna and Hanzo (and even Yakura, though she only received a snort in reply).  
  
"So that's when we left." Michiru finished telling Usagi about the encounters with the parental parties. The two outer senshi had gone home after the meeting with Haruka's parents. As if she had some kind of radar, the phone had rang as soon as they walked into the door. Answering it, Michiru had been  
  
bombarded with questions from an inquiring mind: namely, Usagi. So, Michiru had told her.  
  
Finally finishing with the babbling princess, Michiru walked into the bedroom she shared with Haruka to find the other woman already in bed.  
  
Michiru slowly pulled of her dress off, watching Haruka out of the corner of her eye. She saw her lover take a bit of notice at her activities. 'You know...' Michiru thought to herself, 'Haruka HAS had a rough day...she could probably use a bit of...cheering up...'  
  
This thought in mind, she made something of a production of removing her bra and underwear, pulling the latter article off slowly, running her hands over her long, smooth legs as she did so.  
  
She stood naked for a few seconds, pretending to look through her dresser for a pair of pajamas. When she couldn't 'find any', she turned to the bed and sighed.  
  
Haruka looked up at her very naked girl friend. "Is something wrong Michi?"  
  
Michiru sighed again, and said in a sad voice, "It seems that all of my night cloths are in the wash..and it's so chilly tonight..." She shivered dramatically and gave Haruka a melting stare "Can you think of anyway to keep me warm tonight?"  
  
Haruka grinned and patted the bed beside herself. "You know, I might just be able to do that..."  
  
Michiru awoke with the sun in her face and Haruka's arms wrapped around her. She looked over at the clock and smiled. 'Still fifteen minutes until the alarm rings...guess that means I can just lay here for awhile...'  
  
She lay in bed, luxuriating in the feel of Haruka's arms around her and the knowledge that today was one day less until her wedding. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end. Right on schedule the alarm rang, awaking Haruka.  
  
Haruka grumbled a bit as she woke, instinctively pulling Michiru closer to herself.  
  
Michiru laughed lightly and turned in her fiancé's (damn, that word sounded good to her...) arms.  
  
"Morning Ruka" She whispered, "Time to get up."  
  
Haruka groaned. "Why do we have to get up so early? You kept me up all night, and now I need my sleep."  
  
"Oh?" Michiru said in an amused voice, "I kept you awake all night? As I recall, it was your idea to spend all night..."  
  
But Haruka wasn't really interested in little details like who kept who up last night. She gently nuzzled Michiru's soft neck and whispered, "You know...we could spend few more minutes in bed..."  
  
It was at that exact minute that they heard a knock at their door.  
  
With an exasperated sigh, Haruka said, "Come in."  
  
The door opened to reveal Hotaru, still in her pajamas.  
  
"Michiru-mamma, Haruka-pappa, break fast is ready!" She said in a cheerful voice.  
  
With another deep sigh, the two got ready for breakfast.  
  
The next week seemed to fly by in a blur of planning sessions, dress fighting's (as Haruka called them), and endless hours of flipping through brochures to find the 'perfect honey moon spot'.  
  
It was after one of these little sessions that, as always, just degraded down to Haruka smiling and nodding as Michiru babbled on about mindless little details on every single vacation spot in the world, that Haruka noticed Hotaru sitting on the living room couch, bored as a rock.  
  
"What's wrong Princess?" Haruka asked her adopted daughter.  
  
"I'm bored pappa! You and Michiru mamma sit around all day talking about boring things, and no one has taken me to the park in four days!"  
  
Haruka pretended to be appalled. "Four days! This just cant be allowed to go on! I insist that we go to the park immediately!"  
  
With a squeal of joy, Hotaru ran upstairs to get dressed. 'Its to bad Setsuna and Michiru aren't here right now, they could use a break...' Haruka thought. Then she got an image of herself trying to drag the two other women away from their wedding preparations, and getting her arm torn off and beaten to death with it for her trouble. 'Then again...maybe this is for the best.'Her train of though was interrupted by a knock at the door. 'Who the...'  
  
Haruka slowly opened the door. She was a bit surprised to find her father standing at the door.  
  
"Hello Haruka!" He said in a cheerful voice, "Since you came to visit me, I thought that I would return the favor."  
  
"Oh...um, hi. Its, uh...good to see you."  
  
Her fathers face fell a bit. "Is this a bad time? I...know that I didn't give you any warnining before hand..."  
  
"No, no, nothing like that it's just that..."  
  
It was just then that Hotaru came up to the door. "Haruka-pappa, who's that?"  
  
A look of confusment passed over Hanzo's face. 'Haruka...Pappa?' He thought to himself.  
  
Haruka smiled down at her adopted daughter. "Father, this is Hotaru, Michiru and my adopted daughter. Hotaru...this is your grandpa, Tenoh Hanzo.  
  
The two spoke at the same time.  
  
"I have a grand daughter?"  
  
"I have a grandpa?"  
  
A sudden idea bloomed in Haruka's mind. "You know father, I was just about to take Hotaru to the park...would you like to come?'  
  
"And then Grandpa Tenoh bought me an ice cream cone, and then we..."  
  
Hotaru was busily babbling about her day to an amused Setsuna and Michiru.  
  
It had been a great day. Hanzo and Hotaru had gotten along wonderfully.  
  
They had spent the day playing in the park, and the only reason that Hanzo hadn't stayed for dinner was because Yakura and Ranna had no idea where he was going. So Hotaru and Haruka had returned home by themselves.  
  
Just as Haruka and Michiru were walking upstairs for bed, Setsuna looked up at the tall blonde and smiled.  
  
"Oh, Haruka?" She said in an amused voice.  
  
"What is it Setsuna?"  
  
"You have a dress fitting tomorrow. I'll see you at noon."  
  
Michiru nearly died of laughter at the expression on her lovers face.  
  
The next day was hell for Haruka. All day she was forced to stand around whilst Michiru and Setsuna preened over her dress, her hair, and what (horror of horrors!) make up she should wear. Setsuna was rather piffed by her hair, ("You know, you really ought to let it grow...you cant do anything with it!) and her refusal to wear make up. But, in the end, everything was settled.  
  
"Tomorrow's the day." Michiru murmured into Haruka's ear.  
  
The two were lying in bed together, Haruka's arms wrapped around Michiru.  
  
Haruka murmured her agreement with the earlier statement, but her mind was busy.  
  
Would her family, or, more specifically, her mother, be there? By marrying Michiru was she effectively disowning her family? Then she thought about how well Ranna and Michiru had gotten along, and about how much fun Hotaru and her father had had at the park...and then she thought about her mother.  
  
But..there was nothing she could do about it, and Michiru seemed to have some ideas about how to spend the night before their wedding...  
  
It was finally here. Haruka couldn't believe that she, of all people, was getting married. And to MICHIRU...glorious, beautiful, talented Michiru...She had been so lonely, for so long, and then Michiru had come along, and banished all of her demons.  
  
Haruka sighed deeply. 'I really don't deserve her...' Haruka thought to herself, but then she grinned 'But she does deserve anything that will make her happy, and if I make her happy...who am I to argue?'  
  
She rose quietly from bed, being careful not to wake Michiru. Michiru had told her not to wake her in the morning, because Setsuna had been babbling about some tradition that said a couple who were going to be married couldn't see each other on the day of the marriage until they saw each other at the ceremony.  
  
Haruka hadn't really been paying attention.  
  
But she knew better than to anger her soon to be wife (Damn that word felt good to her!)...at least, not until after the wedding night. Kissing Michiru softly on the cheek, she left quietly to go to Makoto's house, where she was supposed to get ready.  
  
"Good morning!" Makoto's cheerful voice rang out as she answered her door in response to Haruka's knock, "I hope you brought an appetite, because I made a big breakfast for you big day!" Indeed she had...eggs, toast, bacon...Haruka was staggered by the mountain of food before her.  
  
Sitting down at the laden table, Makoto grinned up at Haruka "Tuck in! After all...breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"  
  
Forty-five minutes later, groaning from the load of food in her stomach, Haruka made her way to Makoto's shower.  
  
Makoto watched Haruka walk into her bathroom and sighed deeply. Weddings always made her melancholy...well, they had until she had met Ami. Grinning at a sudden idea that bloomed in her head, Makoto called the blue haired genius.  
  
"Hi Ami...yeah, Haruka's here right now. Say, how would you like to have dinner with me here tonight. Great! Ok, Ill see you in an hour or so at the temple. I love you too...bye."(AN: this will be the subject of a later fic...maybe in a month or so)  
  
Standing in the bathroom, just about to step into the shower, Haruka couldn't help but over hear the conversation. 'Well now...I would have never though!' She thought to herself. 'Though they do make a good pairing...I wonder when they're going to tell the rest of us? Oh well...it's their business.'  
  
Stepping into the shower, she turned on the water.  
  
Finally finished with her preparations, Haruka had done everything that Michiru and Setsuna had insisted upon. She was wearing light lipstick, a touch of blush, and a feather brushing of eyeliner. Her dress was waiting for her at the temple.  
  
Stepping out of the bathroom, her preparations complete, Haruka saw Makoto putting a roast into the oven.  
  
"Getting your dinner set up?" Haruka asked, with a bit of a smile.  
  
"Uh...yeah." Makoto said.  
  
"Looks pretty big for just one person..."  
  
"Oh, um...Ami is going to be coming over for dinner tonight. "  
  
Haruka grinned a bit. Perhaps this was a bit mean but...eh. "Oh, that's nice. And I suppose, since it's going to be so late that she'll just stay the night afterward?"  
  
"Yes...um....that's right." Makoto said, swallowing a bit.  
  
"Pretty fancy looking dinner for a couple of friends." Haruka gave the brunette a level look, " But I suppose it depends on how good of friends they are. Right?"  
  
Makoto blushed and nodded "I suppose you could say that."  
  
Haruka sighed. Obviously Makoto wasn't going to say anything. "Ok. Well, if you need any advice on...friendship...Michiru and I have been...friends...a long time. And believe me, you might need someone who you can talk to about...friendship...sometime."  
  
"Thank you" Makoto whispered, "Ill keep that in mind."  
  
"Ok, you're all set." Setsuna said as she finished helping Haruka put on her dress. The dresses were long, flowing works of silken art. Setsuna had wanted to make the dresses white, but Haruka and Michiru didn't really feel that that would be...appropriate. Instead, Haruka's was a light blue, and Michiru's  
  
was a pale sea-green.  
  
Giving her an appraising look, Setsuna said in a quiet voice, "You know, you really do look lovely in a dress. You should think about wearing them more often."  
  
Haruka just gave Setsuna a glare.  
  
Laughing lightly, Setsuna ran her eyes over Haruka for a last check.  
  
'Perfect...' she thought to herself. 'I really outdid myself this time...'  
  
Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of music starting up.  
  
"Well..." said a warmly smiling Setsuna, "That would be your signal!" And with that, she ducked through the door, heading for her seat.  
  
Haruka waited a few seconds for a particular chord, and then started slowly making her way out of the dressing room and into the main hall of the temple.  
  
Looking across the vast space, she saw her elegantly gowned partner had left her own dressing room. Smiling briefly to her wife-to-be, Haruka started walking toward the alter and Grandpa Hino, in the middle of the far end of the hall.  
  
As Haruka walked past the chairs holding her and Michiru's friends and family, she ignored the whispered "ooh"s and "aah"s about her dress and looked for her family.  
  
What she saw made her stomach clench. Her father was there, along with Ranna...but her mother was nowhere to be seen.  
  
'No!' Haruka thought fiercely, 'I will NOT let her ruin this for me!'  
  
When Haruka and Michiru finally reached the altar, their eyes met for the first time during the ceremony.  
  
Everything faded away... all that existed for the two of them was the others eyes, and the soft golden flames in their hearts.  
  
Grandpa Hino told them to repeat several things, and to answer a question, all of which they did automatically, never breaking eye contact.  
  
Finally, he told them to kiss. Where time had slowed before, it now stopped. Nothing mattered but the soft warmth of the others lips.  
  
They broke apart to the thunderous applause of their guests.  
  
"Well, does it feel different now that were married?" Michiru asked Haruka as the two lay cuddled together in bed.  
  
After the wedding, they had stopped briefly at the wedding reception. Haruka's father had apologized for his wife's absence, but Haruka told him that she had expected it.  
  
Haruka and Michiru had asked that no one buy them any wedding gifts, but the inner senshi had still presented them with a box marked in large letters 'Do NOT open until tonight!'. When asked what it was, most of them had giggled, excepting only Ami, who blushed deeply.  
  
It turned out to contain matching black silk teddies.  
  
After saying their goodbyes, they had left for their honey moon. They had decided on a hotel about an hours drive from Tokyo.  
  
Once there, they had opened the box, much to their amusement (Haruka: Imagine them all in the store buying this...I bet Ami almost died...), and then flung themselves into bed.  
  
"Well, for the most part, I feel great!"  
  
Michiru sighed and snuggled closer to Haruka.  
  
"Its about your mother not being there, isn't it?"  
  
Haruka just nodded. "Oh well...her loss."  
  
Michiru didn't know what to say, but before she could think of something, Haruka grinned and asked her, "Say...have you noticed anything different about Makoto and Ami lately?" 


End file.
